Re: [Harp-L] Digitech RP400 sample

[Richard Hunter <turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Chris et al,

I use the same mics with the RP that I use with any other setup. 
However, the mic I use most frequently, and the one for which my patches
are tuned, is the Labtec AM-22.  It's a speech-optimized mic, like the
green bullet.  You can buy it at computer stores for about $8. 

The most important thing with the RP is to pick one mic for it and stick
with that mic.  The RP reacts very differently to different mics, and
it's hard to get the EQ and cabinet settings to settle down with good
sound and low feedback until you stop swapping mics.  With any decent
mic, you should be able to get a very wide range of usable sounds out of
the RP.  

If you plan to get a range of clean sounds out of the RP, in addition to
any amped tones you may want, I recommend a decent vocal mic rather than
a bullet.  I realize that my Labtec choice is contrary to this advice,
but the Labtec just happens to have a very big, warm sound.

Regards, Richard Hunter
hunterharp.com

Chris Michalek wrote:
> 
> Richard,
> 
> Thanks for the advice.  What kind of mic are you using with your
> setup?  I went through my Gruenling modified bullet, SM57, SM58,
> Audio Techinica lavalier mic, Sennheiser 441, EV 6028 and my RE10.  I
> had the best results with the RE10 and the 441.  The 441 is only
> useful for the jazz type stuff for obvious reasons but the RE10 is
> perfect for the blues stuff.  It works so well with the effect and
> the feedback threshold is extremely high.  With the 441 I could tun
> up the gain to max with out issue and the RE10 would let me get up to
> 80 or so for mose patches.  The other mics, especially the bullet
> were very limiting in that I had a ton of feed back issues with a
> minimal gain setting.
> 
> The last amp patch I posted is:
> 
> Patch:
> PickUP/WAH=Off
> Compression=Off
> Amp Model= Boutique/Gain=47/AMPlvl=51/Cab=4x12v/mic placement=1
> EQ=Bass=6/MidLvl=1/Treble=6
> Noise Gate=Silencer Attack=3 Threashold=5
> Effect=Pitch=-12 FXlvl=0
> Delay=Digital 130ms  FBack=20
> Reverb=Off
> 
> Regarding  <Effect=Pitch=-12 FXlvl=0> There is an audible differnce
> with this set on with effect level zero than effect completely off.
> I don't like the setting at anything other than zero for this patch
> because it makes the whole thing sound processed.
> 
> With the patch the way it is, I really feel some people would be hard
> pressed to tell the difference between that and a real amp.
> 
> >
> >
> >
> >---- Original Message ----
> >From: turtlehill@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx, Chris@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Digitech RP400 sample
> >Date: Sat, 01 Jan 2005 22:01:22 -0500
> >
> >>
> >>"Chris Michalek" wrote:
> >>I got the Digitech RPx400 a few days ago and spent my new year's eve
> >>tweaking the sounds.  There's so much to learn but I'm fairly happy
> >>with the amp patch I set up.  What do you guys think?
> >>www.michalekstrone.com/music/RP_400_AMP_patch.mp3
> >>
> >>Patch:
> >>PickUP/WAH=Off
> >>Compression=Off
> >>Amp Model= Tweed/Gain=80/AMPlvl=51/Cab=1x12/mic placement=1
> >>EQ=Bass=4/MidLvl=0/Treble=4
> >>Noise Gate=Silencer Attack=3 Threashold=5
> >>Effect=Pitch=-12 FXlvl=0
> >>Delay=Off
> >>Reverb=Spring Predelay=5 Decay=60 Damping=30 Reblvl=35
> >>********************************************
> >>This is certainly a usable patch.  It's a little feedbacky, which
> >might
> >>be coming from the EQ, the reverb, or the gain.  A GAIN setting of
> >80 is
> >>pretty high for any of the amp models, including the tweed.  I also
> >find
> >>that the tweed model doesn't get crunchy very gracefully -- it tends
> >to
> >>push the midrange frequencies around 640 hZ very hard, which can
> >produce
> >>some peaky, feedbacky resonances.  Could compensate some by cutting
> >the
> >>mid-range EQ in your patch.
> >>
> >>Your patch data shows that the effect is set to "pitch", with a
> >setting
> >>of -12 (one octave down) and a level of zero, meaning the effect
> >won't
> >>be heard. You could assign effect level to the foot pedal, and then
> >>bring that lower octave in and out under footpedal control.
> >>
> >>For a Chicago-style amped patch, also consider adding a slapback
> >delay
> >>-- 100 to 200 milliseconds. The Mono delay type is good for this;
> >type 3
> >>or 4 has the highs rolled off for a more vintage sound.
> >>
> >>Finally, you might try this patch with a Boutique amp model with
> >gain
> >>set to 6 or 7, a stack amp model with gain set to 0, or a blackface
> >>model with gain set anywhere between 30 and 60.
> >>
> >>Regards, Richard Hunter
> >>hunterharp.com
> >>
> >>
> 
> Chris Michalek
> 
> www.michalekstrone.com